Improve CHS Field Conditions

The Carlisle Field Hockey Fields are unsafe, problematic to maintain, and noncompetitive.

Field Hockey Fields need to be level to prevent unnecessary ball injuries and promote the safety of our players. However, constant use, soil conditions, and weather conditions, make this nearly impossible to maintain. For example, a field hockey ball can travel at speeds well past 50 mph. When this happens on a bumpy surface, the bounce is unpredictable and results in needless injuries. This is a daily occurrence and the injuries are innumerable.

Small sink holes in the field have resulted in unnecessary injuries, for example, two strained ankles and one severely sprained ankle requiring rehabilitation and weeks of lost playing time (2011 season). During the 2012 season one official considered cancelling the game due to improper field conditions and had to ask the opposing team permission to play the game.

Ground maintenance is difficult due to weather conditions. For example, the summer heat requires a watering schedule and in order to prevent the grass from dying from climate or use issues, it is ideal to keep the grass blade length higher. Small sink holes are found nearly every year and must be fixed. Areas overused create dead zones and uneven surfaces. This is a safety hazard and also compromises field quality.

The maintenance staff must reach a delicate balance of keeping the grass long enough to survive, while short enough to be playable. Often the latter is what suffers due to the need for grass coverage by the end of the season. Another problem is the consistency of the grass (some dense, others sparse), which also affects the quality of the game.

Another problem is that our grass fields are open to the public, which leads to vandalism of cages, bleachers, storage bins, and the field itself. Cans, bottles, and other harmful objects have been found lying on the field on numerous occasions. In one instance, a coach had to get a tetanus shot after suffering a deep cut from a rusty object lodged in the field.

Carlisle players have a bumpy grass surface and are forced to use different techniques in order to play the ball. Without a turf field to practice on, our players are at a disadvantage. In the 2012 season, 44.4% of games were played on turf and 89% of games were either on turf or against teams with access to turf. This puts Carlisle Field Hockey at an extreme disadvantage, especially when playoff games are played on turf.

Another disadvantage is that fundamental skills are easily taught and mastered on an even playing surface. However, on an uneven field with thick, long grass, fundamentals can not be perfected because players are forced to improperly adjust to the playing surface.